Cleaning apparatus



Oct. 24, 1967 H. c. LIGHTowLER CLEANING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 20. 1965 /A/VEMTo/Q Henry Char/e5 I owkr YW M y Tram/Ys Oct. 24, 1967 H. c. LIGHTowLER 3,348,252

CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 20, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E m N NN.(\@ NNQN @QQ %Q\ DE m \1 L w# J 1| V1 mm. NS wm NS QQN NAU-ll* SQ w Q w FII lll I JH. QQ O www /Q wm 1||l N@ mm lwwmw m NS O Oeoo. o .Il NW. ww.. 1 l l l l\ Ill 4 5 www Q w n United States PPatent 3,348,252 CLEANHNG APPARATUS Henry C. Lightowler, 18 Crispin Way, Farnham Common, England Filed Oct. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 498,330 11 Claims. (Cl. 15-36) The invention relates to cleaning apparatus, and is particularly concerned with apparatus for cleaning the underside, that is, the soles and heels of footwear, so as to protect the floors of a building which the wearer of the footwear is entering.

It is well known to provide floor mats just inside or outside the exterior doors of buildings so that persons entering can wipe the soles of their shoes or other footwear to remove any rain water, snow or dust which has been picked up outside. Such mats are very lia-ble to be ignored, especially by children entering their home, and at best tend to be treated in a very perfunctory way; indeed, to obtain any very useful cleaning effect, considerable effort is needed on the part of the user. Moreover, the mats are heavy to handle and diicult to clean; they quickly accumulate dirt and become wet and so readily become ineffective.

It is accordingly a leading object of the invention to provide apparatus for cleaning the soles and heels of footwear which is at least very largely free of these disadvantages.

The invention accordingly provides a device for cleaning the soles of footwear, the device comprising a cleaning member, means mounting the member so as to expose an upper surface thereof for engagement with a footwear sole by the wearer and driving means for moving the member to cause it to effect a cleaning action on the sole.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such .a device having means operable on engagement of the member by the footwear underside to actuate the driving means to move the member.

It is also an object of the invention to provide such a device having stationary means for effecting a cleaning action on the cleaning member during the movement thereof.` p

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a device having means providing a stationary support for the heel ofa footwear article of which the sole is in engagement with the cleaning member.

It is also an object of the invention to provide such a device having a structure permitting ready cleaning out of accumulated dirt from within the device and, when required, easy replacement of the cleaning member.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be .apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings which are given not to imply any limitation to the invention but solely by Way of example. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an illustrative device embodying the present invention with a cover removed;

l FIGURE 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the device; and v FIGURE 3 is ,a partial transverse section through the device taken on theline III-III of FIGURE 2.

ing a cover 2 with an aperture in its top surface to expose a cleaning belt 4 which can be driven by an electric motor 6 within the casing. Within the aperture, at one end, is a heel recess. As will later appear, the device, is so arranged that when a user places his shoe with the heel in the recess and the sole on the exposed portion of the belt 4, the belt is set in motion, so as to clean the sole of the shoe.

The belt 4 is mounted on a plurality of rollers, as will The device 1 illustrated comprises an outer casing havi .to receive the stem 58 of be later described, arranged so that the belt runs in a generally flattened loop.

The outer surface of the belt 4 is provided with transverse ridges 8 and rows of upstanding bristles 10 which wipe the underside of a shoe placed in contact with it.

The belt 4 can be made of rub-ber or a suitable plastics material, reinforced if desired, with the ridges 8 integral or secured to a plane surface of the belt, the bristles 10 being of bristle, hair, or a suitable plastics material for example nylon. j

For ease of replacement, the belt is preferably made not continuous but with detachably connectible ends. The ends are suitably each provided with a plurality of hooks or loops through all of which a rod can be passed, so securely connecting the two ends of the belt into a continuous loop.

The cover portion 2 ofthe outer casing will be seen to have the general form of an open-topped rectangular box in inverted position, the aperture being formed in the upper wall 12 with inwardly dished edges 14. The four side walls of the cover 2 have received within them the upturned rim 16 of a 4base portion 18 of the casing. The base and cover portions are detachably secured together by fasteners (not shown) extending through the overlapped portions of the side walls and the upturned rim.

The rear and side lengths of the edges 14 can be provided with cleaning bristles 20 projecting inwardly of the aperture exposing the upper run of the belt 4.

The mechanism of the device 1 within the casing is formed as a unitary structure, which can be removed from the casing as a Whole when access to it is required, as for servicing, replacement of the belt 4 and the like. The structure comprises a frame having two side walls 22 between which a plurality of rollers 24, 26, 27, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 for supporting the belt 4 extend transversely of the device. The rollers have stub shafts 40 projecting at each end and with exceptions to be described, these stub shafts are received in nylon bushes 42 carried on the side plates 22.

At what will be referred to as the front end, the casing forms a compartment 5 for the motor 6, which is supported on a front wall 44 of the frame structure extending transversely across the device at the front end of the side walls 22. At the top of the front wall, side lugs 46 project forwardly to mount a transversely extending shaft 48. Freely journalled on this shaft 48 are trunnions 50 connected to the casing of the motor 6, and a motor support member 52. This support member has the form of a rectangular plate bent along its upper edge 54 around the shaft 48 and apertured at the lower edge 56 a bolt. The bolt has a head 60 and is threaded at its other end so as to be received in a tapped hole 62 in a thickened portion 64 at the base of the front wall 44 of the frame. Around the stem of the bolt is a compression spring 66 which engages the thickened portion 64 at one end and the rear side of the lower edge of the ,plate support member 52 at the other. The spring 66 urges the plate support member to engage the casing of motor 6 at 68 and so support it against the tendency to swing downwardly and rearwardly on the shaft 48 under its own weight. The motor 6 is thus resili- Iently supported in a substantially vibration free manner .within the compartment 5, solely from the front wall of the frame.

The roller 24 nea-rest the front of the device 1 is substantially spaced from the front wall 44, and this space is Occupied by a heel support member or plate '70 which is integral with the front wall 44 and which projects rearwardly with a slight downward inclination. The heel plate has perforations 72 to allow dust and water to fall through it, and its free end '74 which is slightly forward and below the front roller 24 is formed as a scraper for engaging the belt 4 and exerting a cleaning action 0n it.

Between the perforated heel tray 70 and the front wall 44, a pair of side fianges 76 mount a transverse intermediate shaft 78 which carries outside the side plates 22 of the frame a large pulley 80 at one end and a smaller pulley 82 at the other. An output shaft 84 of the motor 6 carries a small pulley 86 from which a drive is taken by means of a belt 88 to the pulley 80. This drive is transferred from the intermediate shaft 78 by way of a belt 90 entrained over the pulley 82 to a large pulley 92 carried on an extension 94 of the stub shaft of the roller 24. Thus, the -d-rive of the motor 6 is applied to the roller 24 and thus to the belt 4 through a two-stage speed reduction due to the greater diameters of the pulleys 80 and 92 as compared with the pulleys 86 and 82.

Unlike the rollers 24, 28, 30, 32, 36 and 38, the rollers 26 and 27 are journalled not on the side plates 22 of the frame, but on a beam 96 which extends transversely across the device. The beam 96 has a base portion 98 from the ends of the top of which extend arms 100. Each of the arms 100 has a generally rectangular roller shaft support plate 102 at its free end, the plates extending forwardly and rearwardly at lright angles to the arms so that the stub shafts of the rollers 26, 27 can be journalled in the plates in front and at back of the connection to the arm.

The base portion 98 of the beam is of elongated rectangular cross-section in the horizontal plane and is received in a correspondingly shaped slot in a cross-member 104 extending between the side walls 22. Secured to the floor 106 of the slot by a rivet 108 is a spring strip having upwardly bowed arms 110 by which the beam 96 is supported in the slot.

Secured outwardly of one of the side plates 22 is a micro-switch 112 with an actuating pin 114 projecting upwardly. A spring strip 116 extends from the top of the micro-switch 112 over the pin 114 to underlie one of the roller shaft support plates 102. Depression of the beam 96, as by the weight of a shoe resting on the belt 4, against the restoring force of the spring arms 110, will engage the plate 102 with the strip 116? and actuate the pin 114 to close the contacts of the micro-switch. Removal of the shoe from the belt will allow the spring arms 110 to raise the beam 96 so that the micro-switch contacts will open. The micro-switch contacts are connected in a circuit with the motor 6 and the electric power lead so that when the latter is connected to a suitable electric power supply, closure of the contacts will ene-rgize the motor to drive the belt 4, and opening of the contacts will cause the drive to stop.

The rearmost roller 34 is also not mounted directly on the side plates 22. The stub shafts 118 of this roller are instead each journalled in a block 120 which is slidably received in a groove or recess 122 formed on the outer side of the associated plate 22, and shown in broken lines in FIGURE 2. The groove 122 has parallel sides 124 opening towards the rear of the device and a slot 126 is cut in the floor of the recessed portion, a compression spring 128 having its ends in contact respectively with the end 130 of the slot and the block 120. The springs 128 on either side of the device thus urge the blocks 120 to slide rearwardly of the device on the sides of the -grooves 122, so that the roller 34 is spring urged to tension the belt 4.

The part of the side walls of the cover 2 which form the motor compartment is apertured to provide entry for an electric power lead (not shown) preferably through a grommet, and to provide ventilation for the motor.

The base 18 of the casing resilient-ly supports a dirt tray 132 in which the `dirt removed from footwear by the belt 4 is collected. The tray 132 must be removable for cleaning and for this purpose is formed with a hook-like handle portion 134 across its rear end which extends out of the casing through a slot 136 in the upturned rim 16 at the rear of the base 18. The underside of the tray 132 is supported on the base 18 by means of a pair of spring strips 138 extending longitudinally of the device and each having a fiat central section 140 secured t0 the base 18 by rivets 142 and an upwardly curved pair of bowed end portions 144. The end sections 144 resiliently urge the tray 132 upwardly to engage cleaning means 146 mounted on the tray into engagement with the underside of the belt 4. The entire tray 132 with the cleaning means 146 thereon can be withdrawn and replaced through this slot 136, sliding on the bowed springs 144. The cleaning means 146 comprises a plurality of transverse scraper strips 148 and upstanding bristles 150 of the same general form and constructions as the belt 4; the cleaning means 146 can comprise a length of the material of the belt. Preferably, the cleaning means is secured to the tray 132 in such a way that it can be readily replaced. The front end of the tray extends beyond the scraper portion 74 to underlie the plate 70 and receive dirt falling from the scraper portion and through the perforations 72.

At the rear end of the casing, the side walls 22 are joined by a transverse rear wall 152 having a pair of forwardly projecting lugs 154 at its upper edge. Tapped holes 156 in these lugs receive the threaded ends of bolts 158 which extend through apertures in the top rear wall portion 160 of the cover 2 and through tubular spacers 163. The frame is by this means suspended at its rear end from the top rear wall portion 160 and it is additionally supported at its front end, where the thickened portion 64 of the front wall rests on the base 18. A bolt or other fastener (not shown), can be arranged to extend through an aperture in the base into the thickened portion if desired, to better secure the frame. The front wall 44 of the frame is slightly forwardly inclined at its upper edge so as to be frictionally engaged, as at 162, by the downturned edge 14 of the cover 2 at the front of the aperture.

The base portion 18 of the casing carries on its lower face four butter studs 161 of rubber or soft :plastics material by which the device is supported on a door surface.

The illustrated device can be placed on the floor adjacent an exterior door of a dwelling house or other building, either inside or outside as preferred. The lead wires are connected to an appropriate source of electric power, which is preferably the regular mains supply. On entering, the user places each shoe in turn on the device with the sole portion on the upper run of the belt 4. If the shoe has Ia high heel, the heel can rest on the perforated lloor 70. As described, depression of rollers 26, 27 causes the belt to move, the direction of movement of the upper run being forward, towards the motor; the downturned edge 14 at the front of the aperture provides support against the tendency of the shoe to be carried off the belt.

Dust and dirt from the sole is either wiped into the heel recess, from which it falls through the perforations 72 of the plate 70, or i-s carried along on the belt, from which it is removed by the scraper portion 74 of the plate 70 or the cleaning means 146. In either event, the major part of the dirt is collected in the tray 132, whence it can be removed from time to time. The bristles 20 on the downturned lips or edges 14 will exert an auxiliary cleaning effect on the lower sides of the shoe.

It will be appreciated that the heel of a shoe can be engaged with the belt 4 as a separate operation if its area justifies this. The movement of the belt will cease on sucient release of pressure on the rollers 26, 27 to enable the contacts of micro-switch 112 to open.

The cover and base of the casing, the tray and the frame, can be of metal or a suciently tough and rigid plastics material.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description and accompanying drawings that the invention provides a device for `cleaning the undersides of an article of footwear which is highly advantageous and which fulfills the stated objects. It will be evident that the invention can be embodied in a variety of ways. The device particularly described, for example, can be variously modified in respect of the arrangements and relative disposition of the component parts and can moreover be shaped so as to be received in a recess in the floor. The device described thus illustrates the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the principles of the invention which is intended to encompass the modifications and equivalents thereof as are within the spirit and scope of the invention as recited in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device for cleaning the undersides of footwear, the device comprising a box-like housing, a frame having spaced parallel side walls within the housing, first and second roller means, means mounting the iirst roller means on the side walls to extend transversely therebetween, an endless looped Ibelt entrained on the first and second roller means, the belt having an outer surface adapted to clean a footwear underside when engaged therewith, an aperture in the upper surface of the housing, the aperture being located so as to expose the upper run of the belt means mounting the second roller means beneath the upper run and resiliently urging the second roller means upwardly into engagement with said second run, an electric motor having an output shaft, means mounting the motor within the housing, means drivingly connecting the motor output shaft with said first roller means, an electric switch means within the housing, an electric power lead for connection to an external source of electric power supply, electric circuit means connecting the power lead, the motor and the switch means, means operable on depression of the second roller means against the resilient mounting means to close the switch means to energise the motor to drive the belt, said resilient mounting means being operative to effect opening of the switch means on withdrawal of the force causing the depression of the second roller means.

2. A device according to claim 1 having a transverse support means for the heel of an article of footwear of which the sole is in contact with the upper run of the belt extending between the side walls and exposed by the aperture.

3. A device according to claim 2 in which the direction of movement of the upper run of the belt is towards the heel support means, the heel support means having an edge engaged with the outer surface of the belt to exert a cleaning action thereon.

4. A device according to claim 1 havingY a generally upright motor support wall extending transversely between the side walls, means supportin-g a shaft adjacent the upper edge of the support wall, means mounting the motor on the shaft for free pivotation thereabout, and resilient means extending between the motor and a point on the support Wall below the upper edge thereof for urging the motor away from the support wall.

5. A device according to claim 1 in which the resilient mounting means comprises a beam extending transversely between the side walls and rotatably mounting the second roller means and spring means acting between the side walls and the beam to urge the beam upwardly, the electric switch means comprising a micro-switch positioned to be operable to close the contacts thereof on depression of the beam.

6. A device according to claim 1 in which the means drivingly connecting the motor output shaft with said first roller means comprise a first pulley mounted on the output shaft, an intermediate shaft rotatably journalled on the frame, a second pulley of greater diameter than the first pulley and mounted on the intermediate shaft, a first belt means drivingly engaged with the first and second pulleys, a third pulley carried on the intermediate shaft, a roller shaft on which is mounted the said first roller means, a fourth pulley of greater diameter than the third pulley and mounted on the roller shaft, and a second belt means drivingly engaging the third and fourth pulleys.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6 having a transverse support means for the heel of an article of footwear of which the sole is in contact with the upper run of the belt, the transverse support means being between the electric motor and the belt and having the intermediate shaft journalled thereunder.

8. A device for cleaning the undersides of footwear, the device comprising a housing having a top wall, a looped belt having the outer surface thereof arranged for cleaning objects engaged thereby, means mounting the belt for movement within the housing in a path having an upper run, an aperture in the top wall of the housing allowing a footwear underside to engage the outer surface of the belt on said upper run, driving means for the belt, and stationary means accessible through the aperture to provide support for the footwear heel at a level below the said upper run.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8 in which the stationary means is a plate having a free edge engaged with the belt and shaped to exert a scraping action thereon.

10. A device for cleaning the undersides of footwear, the device having a `generally box shaped housing with a top wall, a looped belt having the outer surface thereof arranged for cleaning objects engaged thereby, means mounting the belt for movement within the housing in a path having an upper run and a lower run, an aperture in the top wall of the housing allowing a footwear underside to engage the outer surface of the belt on said upper run, driving means for the belt, a oor means for the housing, a tray carried by the floor means below said lower run and replaceably withdrawable from the housing through an aperture in the wall, belt cleaning means on the upper surface of the tray, and resilient means acting on the tray to urge the cleaning means to engage said lower run.

11. A device as claimed in claim 1 0 having stationary means accessible through the aperture in the top wall to provide support for the footwear heel at a level below said upper run, said stationary means comprising an apertured plate, and the tray extending beneath said plate to receive dirt passing through the apertures thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,560,830 11/1925 Langsdorf 198-21 X 1,567,832 12/1925 'Broge 15--36 2,463,153 3/ 1949 Conklin 15--36 2,533,781 12/1950 Fallowiield 15-36 2,553,719 5/1951 Palmer 198-37 2,565,894 8/1951 Stotz 15-36 X 3,032,794 5/1962 Stevens 15-36 3,226,750 1/1966 Leonard 15-36 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,168,873 9/1958 France. 1,325,751I 3/ 1963 France.

898,285 6/1962 Great Britain.

575,533 4/ 1958 Italy.

639,296 5/ 1962 Italy.

149,357 11/ 1931 Switzerland.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

E. L. ROBERTS, Assistant Examiner. 

8. A DEVICE FOR CLEANING THE UNDERSIDES OF FOOTWEAR, THE DEVICE COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING A TOP WALL, A LOOPED BELT HAVING THE OUTER SURFACE THEREOF ARRANGED FOR CLEANING OBJECTS ENGAGED THEREBY, MEANS MOUNTING THE BELT FOR MOVEMENT WITHIN THE HOUSING IN A PATH HAVING AN UPPER RUN, AN APERTURE IN THE TOP WALL OF THE HOUSING ALLOWING A FOOTWEAR UNDERSIDE TO ENGAGE THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE BELT ON SAID UPPER RUN, DRIVING MEANS FOR THE BELT, AND STATIONARY MEANS ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE APERTURE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE FOOTWEAR HEEL AT A LEVEL BELOW THE SAID UPPER RUN. 